Desperate KKR run into bogey team with no breathing space

Kolkata Knight Riders find themselves in a situation where Mumbai Indians usually feel home at; the luxury of losing for them has ended with three more matches remaining. For as much a learning they can take on the art of turning the tables - figuratively - from the tourists, they are left with no time to seek solutions. They have to win. Period. But MI are not a team that they usually look up to for solace.

KKR vs MI is THE most lopsided faceoff in IPL history. But the question is when KKR are going through the slump that they are, do they have the bandwidth to be chalking out plans for the opposition when they have their own house to clean up? This, only and only if, they have had a chance to go out of their mental clutter of disappointments and come afresh for a new game. Quite unlike most teams, as the league phase has evolved, questions to KKR's best XI have only become more mysterious.

The good news for the hosts is that Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla were economical and amongst wickets in the previous game. There could be a case to bring back Kuldeep Yadav as well and work on their spin-strength rather than depend on an out-of-form, lower-skilled pace attack. But to work around with spin, like Chennai Super Kings do, would not be as easy, primarily because Eden Gardens in no Chepauk, Dinesh Karthik is no MS Dhoni and, most importantly, MI have blunted CSK's challenge twice already this year.

It has been an alien domination of sorts for Mumbai so early in the season. And to add to their merry, the good news for the visitors is that they are up against a side low on morale and a back-to-form Rohit Sharma will be returning to his much-cherished territory - Eden Gardens. It's the land where he scored his maiden Test ton, the land where he registered his highest ODI score and the land where he has punctured KKR's chances, season after season. He likes it here.

The bad news, however, is that Mumbai Indians have not played their complete game as yet. They continue to stutter in the middle overs, and for as much as they have the ability to make it with their dominance elsewhere, they are up against a side that has all to play for. A bit of complacency could prove fatal, especially with the three-way race being hotly-contested for the top-two spot on the points table, and more importantly, the playoff qualification still a win away.

When: Saturday, April 28, 8:00 PM

Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

What to expect: Another humid day with high amounts of dew and heavy run-scoring.

Team News:

Kolkata Knight Riders: With the spinners doing well in the previous game at the venue, there could be a case of bringing back Kuldeep Yadav. In the pace department, Sandeep Warrier or Matthew Kelly could be tried out.

Probable XI: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Shubhman Gill, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (c, wk), Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Yarra Prithviraj, Prasidh Krishna

Mumbai Indians: With the Eden Gardens surface expected to aid pace bowlers, another pacer might be played, resulting in both Evin Lewis and Ankul Roy having to sit out despite reasonable good performances in Chennai.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Rahul Chahar, Mitchell McClenaghan/Ben Cutting/Jason Behrendorff, Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah

What they said:

"I've been having conversations with the coach (about my batting position). He has been backing me to go out whenever the team needs me. He's gonna have me as a floater rather than lower (down the order). If my team needs me to be batting 12 overs tomorrow, I'm happy to bat 12. If they need me to bat 3 or 4 overs, that's my job." - Andre Russell on his batting position for the remaining matches.